Toy merry-go-round



NOV. 3, 1953 L, MCDONALD 2,657,928

TOY MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed May 28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l Lloyd L. Mc Donald INVENTOR.

- Nov. 3, 1953 M DONALD TOY MERRY-GO-ROUND 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1951 Lloyd L. McDonald IN VEN TOR.

L. L. M DONALD TOY MERRY-GO-ROUND Nov. 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 28, 1951 Llo d L. McDonald INVENTOR.

A Ilornr]:

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 -r PATENT OFFICE 3 7 2,657,928 'ror MsaRY-Go-aoUNn s an Mammals, Shamrock, reg.

Application May as, 1951, Serial No, 228,608

3 Claims! The present invention relates to toys and more particularly to a toymerry goeround providing an amusement device for children.

An object of the present invention is to pro.-

vide a toy merry-go-rcund which simulates a is to provide an amusement toy which will be pleasing in appearance, easily manufactured and readily assembled or disassembled.

Various other objects and advantages will hecome apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of, the toy merryfigmround of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is. a vertical transverse. amflonal view taken substantially along the plane of line 3-3 93, u e 3;. and,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the electrical system employed in the toy merry-egoround oi the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts hr us cui the numeral n designates gen r l y the to; merry-go-round of the present invention which is seen best in its entirety in Figure 1. The toy merry-go-round l q is comprised of a support n base it, d ive means I4, mus c m ing means it; and the numeral l8 designates generally the rotatable support for the simulated flying horses.

Looking now at Figures 2 and 3, the supporting base I2 will be seen to comprise a substantially cylindrical element having a flat circular plate 22 secured to its upper edge. The plate 22 is formed with a centrally disposed recess 24 in which a cup-shaped bearing element 26 is fixedly disposed.

An upper bearing means is supported on the plate 22' and includes the upper bearing plate 28 having a central opening 30 formed therein.

A plurality of inclined support-rods 32 inter.- connects the plate 28 with the plate 22 and maintains the same in spaced parallel relation with the opening an coaxial with the recess 24. The outer periphery of the plate 28 is formed with beveled gearing 34, while the upper .suriace of the plate 28 is formed with a pair 0! concentric electrically conductive annular rings 36 and". The cylindrical member 20 has aswitch no: 40 carried thereby, the switch being operated by the manually operable switch element Undisposed exterlorly oi the cylindrical member .20. Electrical conductors 44 and 46 encased in the insulating covering 48 connect the swltchhox 40 with their respective annular rings 36 and 38.

The rotatable means ll upon which the simulated "flying horses are supported includes the upper circular plate 50 having the bars 2 formed integrally therewith at the centerwith the bore 54 formed therethrough. A lower annulardisk 56 is connected to the upper disk 50 by a plurality of spacer rods 58 which maintain the upper and lower disks in spaced parallel'relation.

The means for supporting the upper and lower disks for rotation on the base l2 includes standard ill which has its lowerend received within the cup-shaped bearing element 26 for engagement on the ball bearing 62. -An upper intermediate portion of the standard 60 has the upper disk 50 secured thereto by the pin '84 extending through the bar 52.

Secured to a lower portion of the standard 00 is a sleeve 68, a pin 68 extending therethrough. and gear 10 formed integrally with the sleeve it. An electric motor M is supported on the plate 22 within the annular disk 56 and has a pinion 12 carried by its drive shaft 14. The pinion i2 is engaged with the gear-'10 for eflecting rotation of the standard 60.

Also fixedly secured to the standard 6 is a pulley sheave 16 A conventional music box- 18 is disposed on the base plate 22 andhas a pulley sheave carried by'its drive shaft- II. The pulley 80 is operatively connected to the pulley 16 by means of the belt 84, whereby rotation ofthe standard 60 eflects music making.

Secured to the periphery of the upper disk 50 is a cylindrical member 86 having a plurality of mirrors 88 secured thereto to give a pleasing appearance and simulating the appearance of a conventional merry-go-round. A substantially conical top 90 is formed with an opening 92 at its upper end. The upper and lower peripheries of the top 90 are formed with upper and lower circular rings 94 and 95, the upper ring 94 being lamps 90. Electrical conducting wires I02 connect the'lamps 98 with the brushes I04 and I06 which are reciprocably carried by the brush holders I08 and H0. The brush holders I08 and H are carried by the upper disk 50 so that the brushes I04 and I06 are irictionally engageable with the rings 38 and 06, respectively.

The upper disk 50 has a plurality of radially aligned supporting elements H2, H4 and H6. Each of the groups of aligned elements H2, H4 and I I6 is formed with a hgned apertures I I8, I and I22. A crank rod I24 has end and intermediate portions rotatably carried by the elements I I2, I I4 and I I6. The portion of the crank rod II4 disposed between the elements H4 and H6 is provided with a pair of offset portions I26 and I20 providing cranks. A bearing element I30 is secured to the crank rod I24 for maintaining the same in predetermined relation to the supporting elements. The radially inner end of the crank rod I24is formed with a bevel pinion I32 which is engageable on the bevel gear 34.

Each of the crank portions I26 and I28 has a downwardly extending supporting rod I34 rotatably carried thereby. Each of the supporting rods I34 has a simulated flying horse" element I36 secured thereto, a portion of the rod I34 extending below the simulated animal element.

The lower disk 56 is formed with a plurality of tubular elements I38 which are adapted to receive the lower end portions of the rods I34.

Looking now at Figure 4, it will be seen that the double switch 42 controls the parallel circuits for the illuminating lamps and the drive motor M. The switch 42 can be closed to supply current to the parallel circuits for the lamps 90 and the motor M. Operation of the motor M will effect rotation of the standard 60. It will be seen that as the standard 60 rotates, the upper disk 50 will rotate therewith carrying the crank rods I24 therewith. Movement of the crank rods I24 with the bevel pinion I32 engaged in the bevel gear I34 will effect rotation of the crank rods I24 whereby reciprocation of the simulated animal elements I will be efiected.

At the same time the merry-go-round is actuated for rotation, the music box 18 will be actuated by means of the pulley belt 84.

Furthermore, in view of the contact between the brushes I04 and I06 and the annular rings ,28 and 36 respectively, electrical power will be supplied to the illuminating lamps 98 whereby .the same can be continuously illuminated.

For decorative purposes, the top 90 can be provided with alternately colored sections 8i and plain sections 93. A plurality of flags 91 can be provided for securement to the top so that the merry-go-round in its entirety will simulate a full-scale merry-go-round.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A toy merry-go-round comprising a supporting base, a standard rotatably mounted on said supporting base and projecting vertically therefrom, an intermediate portion of said standard being rotatably journaled in a circular hearing plate spaced above said supporting base, said bearing plate being supported by downwardly and outwardly extending supportshaving lower ends secured to said supporting base, an enlarged disc carried by said standard above said bearing plate for rotation with the standard, motor means carried by said supporting base in driving engagement with said standard, a lower annular plate disposed adjacent said'supporting base and suspended from said disc for rotation therewith,sald bearing plate being provided with a toothed an nular peripheral surface, bevelled gears engaged with said toothed surface, said bevelled gears being mounted on crank arms supported beneath said disc by depending bearing blocks, a plurality of rods extending between said crank arms and said lower plate, simulated animals mounted on said rods adapted to be vertically reclprocated by said crank arms electric lights carried by said disc with portions thereof projecting therethrough, a power source for said electric lights including concentric conductiverings carriedby the upper surface of said bearing plate, contact fingers extending downwardly through said disc in engagement with said conductive rings, electrical energy being supplied to said conductive rings by conductors passing through said bearing plate and secured to the undersides of said conductive rings.

2. The toy merry-go-round of claim 1 wherein a music box is carried by said supporting base, said music box being drivingly connected to said standard, said motor means and said music box being disposed within the lower annular plate.

LLOYD L. MCDONALD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 648,266 Johnson Apr. 24, 1900 843,406 Mangels Feb. 5, 1907 1,179,232 Shewan Apr. 11, 1916 1,271,892 Habeshan July 9, 1918 1,566,479 Horvath Dec. 22, 1925 1,635,108 Bluthardt July 5, 1927 2,135,606 Stuve Nov. 8, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 793,339 France Jan. 22, 1936 

